asked the Minister for Local Government if he will initiate discussions with the SixCounty administration for the purpose of securing a joint project for a major Dublin-Belfast arterial road link, along the lines of the English M1 and continental autobahns, so as to provide for the maximum expendition of transport and travel between North and South.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin-Belfast Arterial Road.
38.
Useful consultations at official level have taken place between the Northern Ireland Ministry of Development and my Department. From these discussions we are aware of the plans for the motorway from Belfast to the Border. As to the standard of road to be built south of the Border and the time when the construction of such a route will be undertaken, these are questions to be determined in the light of the amount of funds available for such road works.
That is a very amorphous kind of reply. Is it in the mind of the Government to do this at all? Surely in the light of all the cross-Border talk that has gone on between politicians, it must be obvious that if we are really in earnest about building bridges, we should begin building roads? Would it not be a good thing if we took example from what has been done to the approaches to Belfast where there is a very excellent motorway which impresses anyone who has to go there? Will the Minister give the House an assurance that this matter will not just be left on the shelf, as it were, as indeed the Collinstown turn was left for a quarter of a century?
The Deputy is getting away from his question.
I do not want to transgress the rules of order. I want to stick closely to the subject matter of this question; it is of vital national importance to have a fast traffic motorway between here and Belfast.
With the present rate of traffic on this road, such a motorway going the whole distance to the Border would not be warranted but such a roadway would be waranted, for a comparatively short distance, from the city as far as Blake's Cross.
Would the Minister not agree that this is a matter for national planning? Is he not aware that six plans have been submitted to his Department by Meath County Council in regard to the portion of road between the Dublin border and Drogheda and all of them were rejected? Apparently it is a guessing game. Would he not agree that his Department should plan the road for all local authorities between Dublin and the Border and in that way have some of the work done?
In view of the funds available for this purpose, this is not the most urgent work.
Is the Minister not aware that £100,000 was made available for the Meath portion three years in succession and because his Department were unable to approve of the plan, none of this money has so far been expended? Is this just a way of saying that the money is there but you will not be allowed to spend it?
Is it the firm decision of the Department that all that will be done for the time being is to provide a dual carriageway or an improved ordinary road on this route? This is holding up planning and decisionmaking in advance.
It is felt necessary to go ahead with improvement of the present road on this route but it has been decided that a motorway should be provided as far as Blake's Cross. The road authorities concerned were notified of that approval and planning of the section is going ahead.
(Interruptions.)
May I remind Deputies that we still have 114 questions to deal with?
For the time being, it is not necessary to proceed with it.
Is the Minister for the abolition of the Border at all?
We are. We are the only Party with any interest in it.
Does the Minister not like to see the Taoiseach going up there? They lost their title to that a long time ago.